PRB: OLE Automation Err: Method Not Applicable for This Object

ID: Q115859

The information in this article applies to:

- Standard and Professional Editions of Microsoft Visual Basic for

  Windows, version 3.0

SYMPTOMS

Certain valid OLE Automation methods cause the following error in Visual Basic:

   Method not Applicable for This Object.

CAUSE

This occurs if the method is a reserved word in Visual Basic. For example, Close is a reserved word in Visual Basic. If you try to use Close in an OLE Automation command, the Visual Basic parser complains and gives you the error message.

RESOLUTION

To use OLE Automation methods that are reserved words in Visual Basic, use the [] notation. For example, wrap the word Close in square brackets. This stops Visual Basic from trying to interpret Close as a Visual Basic statement.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. Start a new project Visual Basic. Form1 is created by default.

2. Add a command button (Command1) to Form1.

3. Add the following code to the Command1 Click event procedure:

      Sub Command1_Click ()
         Dim sheet As Object
         Set sheet = CreateObject("Excel.Sheet.5")
         ' The following line causes the "Method not Applicable for
         ' This Object" error:
         sheet.Parent.Close
         Set sheet = Nothing
         MsgBox "Excel Object created and destroyed successfully!"
      End Sub

4. Run the application. You will get a "Method not Applicable for This

   Object" error on the line of code that reads:

      sheet.Parent.Close

5. Place square brackets around the word Close in the highlighted line. The

   line should now read:

      sheet.Parent.[Close]

6. Run the program. It should run without error.

Keywords          : kberrmsg kbprg IAPOLE vbwin 
Version           : WINDOWS:3.0
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: September 30, 1997